Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Simplify

"Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul" by Bill Hybels addresses the busy world we live in, constantly going at a breakneck pace that just is not sustainable. We are constantly trying to get 36 hours worth of things done in a 24 hour day, and Hybels attempts to help us to unclutter our souls in order to have a sense of peace and happiness.

Some of these directives that Hybels addresses in an attempt to unclutter our lives are common sense things that can easily be integrated into our daily lives, such as scheduling time for travel around commitments so that we keep those commitments that we have made; living joyfully within the financial circumstances that God has given us currently; and identifying and recognizing the origin of our fears and anxiety. These all seem easy enough, but what Hybels does is back up what seems to be logical resolution of these issues with Biblical soundness and a plan of action, step by step, to help you overcome these soul blockers.

I think that Bill Hybels did a wonderful job in summing up the most common culprits in stealing our joy and peace in this book. He identifies issues that we experiences on a daily basis that will create anxiety, frustration, or fear in our lives, and gives you a step by step way to work through those issues. This book isn't a cure all for restoring joy and peace in our lives, but it is the blueprint for eliminating some of the stress, fear, and overwhelming feelings that we face.

I would highly recommend this book to nearly anyone. Coping with daily frustrations, financial problems, stress, and maintaining our relationships are all important aspects of our entire life, and the center of our souls. I think that anyone could read through these pages and walk away with at least one thing that they can do to improve the state of their soul.

FTC DISCLOSURE: I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers through their blogger program in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.